1. Field
The invention is in the field of processing potatoes for the production of a commercially useful mashed potato product.
2. State of the Art
Prior to this invention, it has been the practice in industrial plants producing mashed potato products, such as dehydrated potato flakes and granules, to follow the almost universal custom in households of peeling the raw potatoes prior to cooking and mashing them. From an industrial standpoint, raw potatoes are normally peeled by subjection to an alkali wash or steam treatment followed by tumbling in equipment that abrades the skins or by a high pressure spray that dislodges the skins. It is virtually impossible, however, to remove deep-seated eye portions or hard defective portions of the potato flesh in this manner without removing a considerable quantity of the potato flesh. Accordingly, it has been customary to remove remaining eye portions and defects by hand, following peeling of the potatoes but prior to cooking and mashing them.